Ya, protein gets me farther in the day than cereal etc.

No exercise this morning...ooops. Hmmm, who knows when I'll get my act together?????

Mailwhale-I think it's just us. Has everyone left completely? Even if you are lurking, say hi! I lost 3 pounds this week. I am 184! The same as I weighed before pregnacy. 2 pounds lighter than 6 weeks post partum. The same as March of 99. I can do this! ~audri

Congratulations flower and mailwhale on your weight loss. Kepp up the good work, you are doing great.

Things are about the same around here, still trying to drop those pounds I put on, I did better with the food the past couple of weeks so I'm happy with that. Need to pick up the exercise a little. I'm drinking my water though.

I'll try to check in more often. Take care.

I felt a twinge of interest in dieting again yesterday (actually, the last few days) and decided to check in here again to see if ya'll had the 'skinny' (too cute, huh?) on the plan.

Does anyone know what exactly is the plan that Luther Vandross lost SOOOO much weight on? It is definitely low carb but I think he is watching the fat or the colesterol also.

I am getting desperate girls. Nothing seems to motivate me! HELP!!

It took me an hour to get the user name and password right. Just goes to show I have been gone WAY TOO LONG!

Karen (KareFree1, KareFRee2, karefree . I tried them ALL to sign in!)

Yeah Karefree! I am so happy to see you post again! happy dance! I have no idea about l.v. But anything to inspire you is wonderful in my book! Just take it one day at a time. Start w/ a walk before you play on the puter. No peaking at the sampling sites until you have moved! Get 8 water bottles. On the caps, label them 1-8. By bedtime #8 has to be finished! Get salad makings. I always forget how good salads really are until I have one! It is summer. Great salad weather. How about fruit salads? You can do this dear friend! I walked an hour this morning. I am walking w/ a new friend tomorrow. We walked for 70 minutes on Sunday.

I am going to file my business name next week. Then I will go to the business licence office. Gotta see if I have to put a deposit/bond down. I have a show booked for Sept 30. I better get busy!
~audri

I am addicted to the sample and the click for cash sites now. I was thinking the other day that it I had to generate the power to run the computer for all the time I was on it with physical activity, I would be one skinny lady!! Good idea though.....HUMMMMM.

Luther is doing a high protein low carb thing, I think. Low fat meats and fruit and veggies. Low starch and processed foods. Healthy eating.

Sounds like you have your hand full. Good luck on the business. How are the kids and Chris doing?

We are all okay. Jesse is working p-time but will be leaving for a week to go to Bushnell, Illinois for a weeklong Christian music festival that sounds like Woodstock. 24 hours a day, camping outside and listening to bands. I am sure he will enjoy it. I am not so sure that I will....LOL! Got to let the kid grow up though. He is ready even if I am not.

Talk to ya'll soon.

Hope everyone is doing well. Special 'hi's' to MW and Sandy because they seem to be the only other constant posters!

karefree

Hello gals! (Sandy, Kare and Audri and any lurkers

I've been jogging somewhat consistently...and sort of being better food wise...hard to say if I'm really totally with the program yet, but down a few pounds and feeling fairly strong, so that is a plus!

Good luck with the business stuff Aud! Wow, what kind of show? You had better get busy...what all do you plan to have for sale? I got some info about Cable TV ads this morning and for new businesses it is $5 per ad and they will make the ad for me...come take pictures and do the graphics etc. But I don't know what to do... music in background, something funny with the kids? What cable channel to put it on. I guess if I'm going for the dads it should be on ESPN lol! It could be fun. I'll be getting info from the "at work type" radio station in the mail to compare...but I kinda think that the visual image is a big plus for me. Scary!

Well, I wish us all a swift trip down the scale...we all know what to do...it is just a matter of doing it right???? Hips, Hips, Away!!!

Hi ladies. Good to see you back again karefree. Hope you get yourself back on track soon. Just take it slow and you will do fine. Are you drinking your water? I find that is the only thing that I do faithfully.

I've been able to walk at the beach quite a bit lately, I enjoy that better then the treadmill. It's been quite hot and humid here lately so if I walk I have to do it early. Yesterday I ended up walking at the mall, that was fun for a change. They had a sale at VS so I bought some new underware, it cost me money to walk yesterday but I really needed some new things and only buy them there when they are on sale.

mailwhale and flower, good luck with your business. Hope you both do well.

Take care and keep moving.

This does not seem to be a good period in my life. Maybe it is me. It probably IS me.

My son doesn't seem to want anything to do with me. I can't ask any questions or say anything right for that matter. The other day I told him his father and I would match funds with him if he would save to buy a car and, somehow, that was wrong. He is going on a trip this weekend and I got him a couple of new pair of shorts , some shelf milk and cereal (that is one of his staples and I know if he has that he will have something to eat) a small travel kit (razor, shampoo, comb, shaving cream etc) in a little black bag and all he has done is ridicule me with every item I purchased.

He has just graduated and maybe he is going through some kind of separation transition (or maybe I am, who knows?) and maybe this too shall pass.

I sometimes wonder if men and women speak a different language. I know my husband and I do and it seems my son and I are having some definite communication problems as well.

I want to run away.

not kare free at all

PS Sorry to be such a whiner. Glad to hear that all of you are keeping up the work that we all need to do to succeed.

Oh Kare, I am so sorry.

My mom and I waged war it seems my senior year of High School and first 2 years of college...I think it was a seperation issue although we did not see it that way at the time. I was her only child and we were very close, but my growing up...well, I don't know...it was rough then. I even said I hated her one time...which in one part of her mind I know she never forgets. And now as a mother myself, I shudder to think of my children reaching that age and how we'll get through it.

My mom and I get along great now. We both work very hard not to touch those buttons that can set us off. There are just some subjects that must be left alone, but mostly we love and respect each other and I am thankful that she put up with me, during a stubborn and independant time. She had her faults too we both agree as well...but luckily we both worked at "growing"

You'll get there with your son. I'm so sorry that this is so difficult for you right now though.

Guess where I was Tuesday night? At a state park sleeping in my car in the pooring rain. Long story, but my kids were staying with my mom, and I was mad at my husband and realized that I had a day to myself, so I'd better take advantage of it. So instead of doing housework, I packed up and went camping by myself. Played solitare, chipped and putted around my campsite, took several very long walks...one in amazingly heavy rain, read my Martha Stewart, made a fire, sang (quietly), journaled, thought... and came back quite refreshed. Hubby is still not really on my good side, but I'm over the obsessively irritated part. Anyway...thought I'd join in with my struggle of late

Karefree and Mailwhale- BIG BIG HUGS FOR YOU!!!!

KF-It is him. All kids do this to mom at the end of school. It may take him a couple months and maybe up to 2 years, but he will come around again. Everyone I know distanced themselves w/ mom around the time they were 18. They think they are so adult. They have a new life just begging to explore. They have no clue that they need parents advice big time right now. So just sit back and watch and soon he'll be needing you again soon. I wish it could be easier!

MW-I would have camped w/ you. Were you not scared? Oh ya, you live in the safe part of the country. I really doubt I would be brave enough to sleep camping by myself. How are you and hubby doing? Is the problem fixable?

Hi Sandy. Congrats w/ the water. I need to do better.

I losta pound this week. I am at 183. The 170's are in sight! Yippeee! ~audri

Great job on the pounds lost Aud! That is awesome!

Uh, I don't know what to think of him and us most of the time any more. No, I wasn't scared to sleep alone...the locked car was extra security I'll admit. But the weather was so bad, there were few people there but good natured family campers determined to stick it out...any goof-ball would have been pretty hard pressed to think doing someone else harm would be worth going out in the rain lol!

I shouldn't say I don't know... I mean, I don't really want out of the marriage, but I am tired of emotionally investing in it and getting burned. If he is gonna be a flake...then I'm just gonna be a bit more distant and detached. And I need to give him more independence. Lucky for me I actually have a better support system of female friends here, so I'm just gonna go out more and depend more on them for all the "communication" needs that he just can't or doesn't want to provide for me. 14 years into a relationship is just different than the first 6...that I keep clinging to. That makes for 8 years that I've been tormenting myself over this...time to mentally make the adjustment I guess!

Anyway.... that is the long of it

MW- just be careful detatching yourself. I know once I detatch myself emotionally, there is no going back and it is basically over. Glad you have lots of friends there. Have you thought about counciling? Does he know you are unhappy w/ this version of your relationship?.... Did you ever sell your old home?

Well, I have a goal of 8 pounds for July. I lost 7 in June. I need to make sure I work out everyday. I am currently just doing 4 out of 7. 6 out of 7 is my goal. I have a new walking buddy 2 days a week. That helps a lot!

Auds and Ends is coming along good. I invested in some beads this weekend. Micheals had 50% off value packs! I spent 25$ there and 20 at another store. My aunt sent me 20 to make her something. My show is Sept 30th. Hopefully I will find another one befroe then. After then should be no problem w/ all the Christmas bazzaars.

Hugs to you all. audri

I know, I know...this is bad. I was just writing Dolphin, and thinking I gotta get out of this silent treatment mode. He is the only Dr. that does not have a pic of his family on his desk. So I was thinking of finding a pic of all of us or at least the kids and putting it in a frame and taking it to him today with a card...saying what. "Is this worth saving?" that is kinda harsh. "Can we save this? Let's talk tonight" That's a little better and puts more responsibility on me as well.

8 lbs in July is a good goal. Me too???

What all will you be selling at Auds and Ends? Mostly jewlery? How about a bit of a little girls line too. That stuff seems to sell very well and those beads are cheap. Hair clips, bracelets, tiarra's...very popular, and I know I'm more apt to buy stuff for Kayla than myself... And maybe if I'm getting something for Kayla I'd decide to also get something for myself

I Want To Get Away? Paul says it is by Lenny Kravitz. I only know the title phrase and it keeps winding through my head. I actually am planning a little outing just by myself next week. I have put other people first for the last 19 years and right now I need to put myself first for a bit.

MW, I am so sorry you are having marital problems. We all do though at some point. I hope you and he decide to work it out. It is rough. The second hardest job next to parenthood.

Audri, it sounds like you are on a VERY positive path. Keep up the good work! I am very happy for you and proud of you.

I am almost finished painting Jesse's room. It is a lot brighter than I thought. It is exactly the color of blue hydrangeas with white trim and doors. All that is left is the trim and doors.

If ya'll don't hear from me for a while, don't worry. I am on the nervous breakdown tour.

karefree